Manmohan Singh, P V Narasimha Rao deserve Bharat Ratna, says M Veerappa Moily

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh deserves to get Bharat Ratna award, along with P V Narasimha Rao, veteran Congress leader M Veerappa Moily advocated on Wednesday.

The Telangana Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution urging the Centre to confer the country's highest civilian honour on Rao posthumously on the occasion of his ongoing birth centenary celebrations.

Speaking to PTI, Moily, a former Union Minister, said Rao richly deserves the award but added that Singh's contribution on the economic front was equally important.

"When he (Rao) took over (as PM), the (country's) economy was in a shambles and the country was in a bad shape. He (Rao) along with Manmohan Singh saw to it that the economy recovered," he said.

"This credit should go to both Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh. It's more appropriate that both of them are awarded Bharat Ratna," the former Karnataka Chief Minister said.

Moily recalled that Singh had served as the Finance Minister in Rao's Cabinet. Moreover, he said, Singh is regarded as one of the "most eminent" economists in the world, not just in the country.